Hulling and cleaning machine



E. NI MAULL.

HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE.

y f APPLICATION FILED JAN. I3. 1919. 1,334,708.

E. N. MAULL.

HULLLNG AND CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I3. 1919.

61 tranne/13 o E. N. MAULL.

HULLING ANDCLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I3. I9I9.

1 ,334,708. Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

attenua/ei:

E. N. MAULL.

HU LLING AND CLEANNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. Is. 1919.

1,384,708. Patend Mar. 23, 1920.

a .9a I

EDWARD N. MAULL, `OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA; ASSIGNR 'IO SIMON F. WILLIAMS,

OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

HULLING AND CLEANING LIVILACITIINIE.

Application ledanuary 13, 1919*.A Serial No; 270,900L

To all Iwhom, t muy, concern:

lle it lknown that I, EDWARD N. MAULM-a citizen of the United States, residing at laelzeonville, in the county otDuva-l and tiltate oi? 'llloridzu have invented@ a new and useful l-lulling and` Cleaning` Maeliindot which the tollmvingl is a speoiiieation.

The device forming the `subject inatter olil this application .is adapted to `befused for hulling and tor cleaning castor: beans, peanuts and like produete.`

The invention aims` to provide novel ineans whereby the articles Which are being` hulledv willi be subjected, alternately, l to varying pressures, and*be rolled, to ifreetlre seeds` 'troni the pode or hulls.

Another objeetiot the `invention is to provide novel means whereby the vertieallspaee between the hullinghelts i'uay be adjusted, dependin, on the nature of the product which is being` hulled. l

A turther` object ot the invention to p roride novel ineens tor caringfior the seeds after` they havewbeen hulled.` The/invention contemplates the provision oii'uieans whereby any beans orthe: like, which may. happen lo pass through the `machineWithout being hulled, will bei returned to the inlet end of the device and be subjected again to the h u] ling` action.

lt iswthin the :province: of the disclosure to improve generally andv to enhance the utility ot devicee oit thattype to Whiehthe present invention appertains.

lllfith the aboie `and other objects l in view, which will appear the description prolreeds, the `invention resides in the combination andy arrangement of parts andiin the details ot Construction hereinafter `desoriloed and claimed, itbeing` undi-irstoodthat, Withinfthe `scope of what 'is elafiined, changes in the precise embodiment' ott the invention shown can be madewithout departing. troni the `spirit oil the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :4-

Figure l shows in side elevation, a inaehine Constructed in accordance withthe 1invention; Fig. 2 is` a longitudinal Section ot the maohine,parts re-iuainingin elevation; Fig. 3`is a top plan; Fig. l is alloross section taken approximately on the line e`-le o'` Fig. l; and Fig. lis a ragmentalperspective showingffthe slidable mounting oi" one of the` trainee. Fig.` `G is a sectional detail show- .ln carrying: out the invention, there is providedlalsupporting structurel, the construction oi" Whiohiuay be Changed, Without jeopardizing the utility oi the invention. The supporting strueture` will be alludedto generally, atthis` point, and those parts olf thefeiuaportingstruoture which i have partieular funetions, will be mentioned as the descriptionprogresses; Fixedbearings 2 are mounted on the supporting` structure l, near to one end thereoi", and in the bearings a shalit iisljournaled, the shaft 3 carrying a Wheel l located within the Contour oit the supportingl` structure l; Movable bearings 5 are mounted l on the sup} )orting structure 1 andare adapted to be slid longitudinally oiftlre supportingstructure, through the iustruuientality of adiueting` devices 6 ot any desired f sort. The bearings 5 Carry ashatt 7 on which a Wheel 8 is mounted. About lthe wheelsll andS is trained a first belt 9, it `being` f obvious that the belt may be tightened or loosened by moving` the bearings 5 through the medium oit theadjusting' devices 6; A leVerlOie ituleruined o1 hinged atlone end asshown at ll on the supporting structure# l, a roller l2 beingjournaled on the iunenend oi" the lever; The roller 12 bearsr onrthe upper runof` the belt 9 and aids in keepingthe beltftaut;

rlfhe inventioncomprises a firstl traine ll,

eiteiulued"l longitudinally ot the supporting` lll and cooperate with the lower run ofthe upper or rstbelt- 9, in a uuuiner Vwhich will 'be understood `clearly when Fig. enamineds 'll'here are tired boarinus 2l on the sup jpiortinp' structury 1 near to the lined bearings 2, movablebearings being n'xounted on the suliiporting` structure, near to the movable bearings 5. The movable bearings 22 may be slid longitudinally ot the eupporting structure 1 by means of adjusting devices 23. A shaft 24 is journaled in the fixed bearings 21, a sha 25 being journaled in the movable bearings 22, the shaft 24 carrying a wheel 26, and there being a wheel 27 on the shaft 25. About the wheels 26 and 27 is 'trained a lower or second belt 28, disposed below the upper or first belt 9. A lever 29 isifnlcrumed intermediate its ends, as shown at 30, upon Athe supporting structure 1, one end of the lever carrying a roller 31 coacting with the lower run of the second belt 28, a weight box 32 being pivoted to the outer end of the lever 29. Obviously, the construction is such that the roller 31 and the parts which carr and Y ,coperate with the roller, form a tig itener for the second or lower belt 28.

A second frame 33 is disposed within the supporting structure 1 and comprises connected side beams 34 mounted to slide in seats 35 (see Fig. 5) formed in cross pieces 36 which extend transversely of the sup porting structure 1 and constitute parts thereof. Rollers 37 are journaled on the side beams 34 of the second frame 33 and coperate with the upper run of the lower belt 28. At this point, it may be observed that the'rollers 2O and 37 are arranged in alternating order, longitudinally of the machine.VV A lever 38 is fulcrumed as shown at 39, between its ends, on one of the side beams 15 of the first VframeY 14, the lowerend of the lever being pivoted as indicated at 40, to the corresponding side beam 34 of the second frame 33;.

A casing 41 is mounted on one end of the supporting structure 1 and includes an adjustable gate 42 the position of which is regulated by means of thumb screws 43 or otherwise. A chute 44, carried by the supporting structure 1, coperates Vwith the lower or second belt 28 and discharges into the casing 41. The casing 41, in its turn, discharges into the neck 45 of a blower casing 46 supported on the main frame structure 1, there beinga fan 47 within the casing 46, the fan being carried by a transverse shaft 48 journaled in bearings 49 on the supporting structure 1.

Thenumeral 50 designates a shaker rack traversed in part by the lower belt 28 and suspended on yieldable hangers 51 connect-k ed at their upper ends with the supporting structure 1, and connected at their lower ends with the shaker rack 50. One of the hangers extends downwardly beyond the other hangers, and since this hanger has a specific function, it has beendesignated by the numeral 52. The shaker rack 50 carries a screen 53 and another screen 54 located in the neck 45 of the vblower casing 46. The shaker rack l50 supports, also a corrugated table 55, receiving material from the chute 44 and discharging the material within the neck 45 of the blower casing, upon the shaker screen 54. The shaker rack 50 has a lateral chute 56 at its forward end adapted to receive material which traverses the screen 53 without passing therethrough. The shaker rack 50 carries a platform 57, inclined downwardly from its ends toward its central portion, the lowermost portion of the platform coperating with an outlet tube 58 which may be carried by the shaker rack 50, the tube discharging into a receptacle 59 secured to one side of the supporting structure 1. The receptacle is provided with a hinged top lid 60 and has depending necks 61, as Fig. 1v will best disclose. Oppositely slanting deiectors 62, which are iixed, form the bottom of the receptacle 59 and discharge into the respective necks 61. Swinging gates 63 are located within the receptacle 59 and are adapted to coperate with the outer ends of the deficctors 62, thc gates being mounted on shafts 6-4 journaled in the receptacle and operated by means of cranks 65, located outside of the receptacle. The cranks 65 are adapted to coact with latches 66 on the receptacle 59, to hold the gates 63 in closed relation to the del'iectors 62. On the inner sides of the necks 61 there are external prongs 67. Arms 68 are mounted on pivot elements 69 carried by the supporting structure 1, and are adapted to swing vertically. The arms 68 are constrained by springs 70 to swing in opposite directions away from the receptacle 59. The arms 68 carry end members 71 provided with outwardly projecting teeth 72.

An inclined conveyer frame 73 is connected to one side of the supporting structure 1, an upper shaft 74 being journaled in the frame 73, and a lower shaft 75 being journaled in adjustable bearings 76 mounted on the frame 73. A belt conveyer 77 traverses the frame 73 and is engaged about pulleys on the shafts 74 and 75. The upper end of the belt conveyer 77 discharges into an inwardly projecting chute 78 mounted on the supporting structure 1, the chute emptying into a hopper 79 discharging on the upper run of the lower or second belt 28, it being observed that the belt 28 projects to the right beyond the upper or first belt 9, so as to receive the material initially from the hopper 79. On one end of the shaft 3, a driving pulley 80 is mounted. On the other end of the shaft 3 there is a pulley 8l about which a belt 82 is engaged, the inner run of the belt 82 coperating with a pulley 83 on the shaft 24, and the outer run of the belt coacting with an idler 84 suitably mounted on the supporting structure 1. rllhe belt 82 is engaged about a pulley 85 on the blower shaft 48. The means for actuating the shaker rack 50 embodies a pitman 86 pivoted to the hanger 52 and carrying a strap 87 (Fig. 6) held in place by a block 88 and screws 89 or in any other suitable way, the strap coacting with an eccentric 90 mounted on the blower shaft 48. The shaft 25 is provided at one end with a pulley 91, there being a pulley 92 on the upper conveyer shaft 74. A crossed belt 93 coperates with the pulleys 91 and 92.

Before discussing the operation of the machine, the driving trains will be traced out. The shaft 3 is operated from a source of power applied through the pulley 8O and when the shaft 3 is rotated, the wheels 4 and 8'will actuate the upper or first belt 9. From the shaft 3, motion is transmitted by way of the pulley 81 to the belt 82, the belt 82 coacting with the pulley S3 to drive the shalt 24 and, consequently, the lower or second belt 28, together' with the shaft The lower run of the belt 9 and the upper run of the belt 28 move in the same direction, but at different speeds, owing to the relative diameters of the various wheels and pulleys whereby these belts are operated, the lower run of the upper belt 9 traveling forwardly at a lineal speed equal possibly, to two or three times the lineal speed of the upper run of the lower belt 28. The shaft 25, driving the pulley 21 actuates the upper conveyer shaft 74 by way of the pulley 92 and the belt 913. The belt 8:2, being engaged around the pulley 85 on the blower shaft 48, operates the fan 47 and causes an updraft through the neck of the blower casing 4G through the shaker screen 54 in the neck of the blower casing. The eccentric 90 on the blower shaft 48, cooperating with the strap 87 of the. pitmau S6, causes a reciprocation of the shaker rack 50 and parts carried thereby, it being recalled that the pitman is connected to one of tlhe hangers 52 which supports the shaker rac t.

Having thus described the manner in which the various movable parts of the structure are actuated, the passage of the material through the machine will now be traced out. The material (beans, peanuts or the like) is cast into the hopper 79 and is received on one end of the upper run of the lower belt 28, the material being carried between the upper run of the lower belt 28 and the lower run of the upper belt 9. Here the product is hulled in a way to be described in detail hereinafter, the hulls and thc seed being delivered by way of the chute 4-1, and the table 55 of the shaker 50, upon the screen 54 in the neck 45 of the blower casing 46. rllhe upward blast through the neck 45, resulting from the operation of the fan 47, ejects the hulls, the seed traversing;

the screen 54 and passing upon the screen 53 of the reciprocating shaker rack 50. The seed passes through the screen 54 and, traversing the platform 57, is delivered by the outlet tube 58 to the receptacle or bagging device 59. Here the seeds or kernels may be permitted to accumulate to any desired eX- tent upon the deflectors G2, the material being held thereon by the gates G3, which lare closed. Bags (not shown) may be engaged at one side by the prongs (37 on the necks (31, the bags being engaged at the opposite side, by the teeth 72 on the arms 68, the arms being swung toward each other, and. then being permitted to swing outwardly, under the action of the springs 70. In this way, the bags will be held on the necks 61 ofthe receptacle 59 and, at any time, one or both of the gates (32% may be opened, by means of the cranks G5 to permit the accumulated material to flow int-o the bags.

Should any of the material have passed through the machine, without being hulled, such material will traverse the screen 53 of the shaker rack 50, and enter the cross chute 56, the unhulled material being transferred to the upwardly inclined belt conveyor 77 which, discharging into the chute 7 8i, will restore the unhulled material to the hopper 79 for passage again through the machine.

By a proper manipulation of the suspension bolts 1S and the depression screws 19, the first or upper frame may be raised and lowered, along with the rollers 12 which the said frame carries. In this way, the lower run of the upper belt 9 may be adjusted with respect to the upper run of the lower belt 28, this operation being useful, since it enables the machine to handle products of different sizes.

A salient and important feature of the machine remains to be discussed and in this connection it is to be observed that the rollers 37 are disposed in alternating order with respect to the rollers 20. Further, by swinging the lever 38- on its fulcrum, the second or lower frame 33, along with the rollers 37, may be adjusted longitudinally of the machine, thereby to vary the space, measured horizontally, between the upper rollers 20 and the lower rollers 37. This operation is of a great importance, since` in effect, it serves to vary the flexibility of the cooperating runs of the belts 9 and Q8, thus adapting the machine to products the hulls of which have different degrees of toughness. Since the, upper rollers 3() are not alined, necessarily, with the lower rollers 97, the product is subjected to a varying pressure, as the product moves forward. It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the lower run of the uipper belt 9 nieves forwardly but faster than does the upper run of the lower belt 28, and, as a like is rolled between the thumb and linger of the hand. This operation aids in opening or hulling the product, as will be understood readily by those skilled in the art.

Although other parts of the machine are by no means devoid of novelty, especial attention is directed to the longitudinally adjustable frame 33, the rollers 37; the frame 14, its rollers 20 and the cooperating runs of the belts 9` and 28 since these elements produce a peculiarly thorough and effective hulling of the beans, peanuts or other material which the machine is handling.

V'Having thus described the invention; what is claimed is Y *1.V A machine'ot the class described, comprising rotatable members; upper and lower hulling belts engaged around the rotatable members and having cooperating runs; sets j of elements coacting with the said runs ot the belts and disposedbetween the rotatable members; andmeans ltor adjusting` the elements oi' one set toward vand away from the elements 'oi' the other set, in parallel relation thereto transversely of the belts.

' 2. AA machine of the class described comprising rotatable members; upper and lower hulling belts engaged around the rotatable members and having cooperating. runs; sets of elements coacting with the said runs of the belts and disposed between the rotatable elements; and means for adjusting the elej ments of one set toward and away from the elements of the other set; longitudinally ot' the'belts.

3. A machine of the class described comprising rotatable members; upper and lower hnlli'ng belts engaged around the rotatable members and having cooperating runs; sets otelements coacting with the said runs of the Vbelts and disposed between the rotatable members; means ior adjusting the elements oi'Vone set toward andV away from the elementsot the other set transversely of the Y belts; and means for adjusting the elements of'said other set toward and away from the elements of the first speciiied set, longitudinally of the `belts.-

t. A machine of the class described comprising rotatable members; upper and lower hulling belts engaged around the rotatable members and having cooperating runs; sets oi' elements coacting with the said runs oi' the belts and disposed between the rotatable members, the elements of one set being disposed in alternating order with respect to thel elements of the other set longitudinally et the machine; and means for adjusting the elements oit one set toward and away from the elements of the other set, in parallel relation theretotransversely of the belts.

5. A machine of the class described comprisingr rotatable members; upper and lower Vhulling belts engaged around the rotatable members and having cooperating runs; sets of elements coacting with said runs o't the belts and disposed between the rotatable members, the elements of one set being arranged in alternating order with respect to the elements of the other set; and means for adjusting the elements otI one set toward and away from the elements of the other set, longitudinally oi the belts.

6. A machine of the class described comprising rotatable members; upper and lower hulling belts engaged around the rotatable members and having Vcooperating runs; sets of elements coacting with the said runs lot the belts and disposed between the rotatable members7 the elements ot' one set being disposed in alternating order with respect to the elements oi the other set, longitudinally of the machine; means :tor adjusting the elements of one set toward and away Llrom the elements of the other set, in parallel relation thereto transversely ot the belts; and means for adjusting the elements of said other set, toward and away from the elements ot the iirst specified set longitudinally of the belts.

7. A device oil the class described coinprising an upper hulling belt and a lower hulling belt, the belts being in the iorm ot bands of appreciable width; a frame within the upper belt; a Jframe within the lower belt; means for moving the iii-st specified frame; for adjustment, transverselyv ot the belts; means tor moving the last specilied frame in the direction ot' its length; longitudinally of the belts; and transverse members carried by the frames, the transverse members of the first specified frame cooperating with the lower run ot the upper belt; and the transverse members ot' the second specilied 'trame coacting with the upper run oli the lower belt.

S. ln a machine of the class described. an upper hulling belt; a lower hulling` belt projecting at its forward end beyond the iorward end of the upper belt; a hopper discharging. on the forvvard end ot the lower belt; a shaker screen disposed below the lower belt; means for conducting material from the rear end of the lower belt to the shaker screen; a lateral chute on the 'liorwa rd end of the shaker screen and receiving material therefrom; an upwardly inclined conveyer whereinto the chute discharges; and an inwardly projecting chute receiving material from the conveyer and discharging the same into the hopper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own; I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence ot two witnesses.

EDW. N. MAULL.

Titnesses z PAULD. MGGARRY; vF. M. DURRANCE. 

